I left it late to get a Bolton ticket and my lovely seat in the back of the lower tier next to (but not in) the posh seats under the directors box was gone. In fact every seat in the entire lower tier had been sold.

The nearest they could sit me and my brother together was in the second row of the upper tier. Okay, I thought, that shouldn't be too bad. That's not very far away from where I sit now. How could I have been so dim?

Even the front of the upper tier is MILES from the pitch. At first sight I thought it would be a novelty to have that kind of view but I realised pretty quickly that I could barely make the numbers on the shirts out. If I wanted to follow a player's run I had to keep my eyes on him until he walked back into his position and turned to the play again so I could make his number out.

If it was JUST that I could maybe live with it but it wasn't. Even though I was right at the front of the upper stand I couldn't see the nearest big screen as it was obscured by the floodlights that under-hang from the roof.

Add to that the trampoline-looking things that seem to stretch forever between the lower stand seats and the exit- a mass of empty space to hide the scaffolding that hides the (not exactly) retractable seats.

It looks from up there like there's a whole empty middle tier- a bit like at the Emerates when all the liggers and tourists disappear ten minutes before half time for a free beer and canapé but PERMANENTLY. At least at Arsenal they wander back ten minutes into the second half.

Cleverly, this is more or less hidden if you sit in the lower stand by a bridge to your seat with a high sided fence either side.

The view from the upper stand is so bad some of the pressmen have moved into the lower stand. I was pretty amazed that a pretty well-known Fleet St sports writer now sits next to me where my season ticket is. He says a few freelancers have done the same and will make do without replay monitors because they can just watch the game at a sensible distance.

I've been doing a bit of soul-searching this week and probably honestly wouldn't renew if the upper stand was my only choice, and I've been going to West Ham for over 40 years.

I read on here some wise poster say '£300 gets me into the stadium and then I look for an empty seat in the lower tier'. That's what I'd try too. It wouldn't work if you went with a load of pals though.

So in a round-about way I'm saying sorry to all the punters I've called whining tarts when they've vented (and continue to vent) about the stadium being a shit-hole. It is ironically a game of two-halves- great if you are in the lower tier and not great if you are not.

Cheezey Bell-End
12:20 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

I said it all last year. The upper tier is shit. Shit view and too many stairs. Plus all the amenities are at ground level. Then, in order to change seat, I would have had to renew, then hope something better came available. I didn't take the option, so will watch the game from a bar in Bangkok.

Tomshardware
12:09 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

West Ham fans deserved better, club has always took the fans loyalty for granted. I could never get used to those massive gaps around the pitch.

1964
11:24 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

FMOB. If you don't like it don't go, simple. Moaning on here is irrelevent.

JAC
11:07 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

I like my seat and view.Thanks

southwoodford
10:56 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

Stadium is (as good as) sold out every home game. No one forces 50,000+ to turn up, so the assumption is they do it because they enjoy it. Totally pointless thread.

Pee Wee
9:35 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

I half agree with you Chim, i just don't agree that it's a good stadium from the lower decks either.

It's actually a very basic and done on the cheap stadium. Next time you're there take a really good look. Look from the outside you'll see it is just concrete steps supported by a steel frame, then take a good close look inside. It is a fitting stadium for our owners. It wants to give the appearance of class but underneath it is just cheap and tacky

Sydney_Iron
6:33 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

Yes PD, Brother in law will sort out tickets, he was a Season ticket holder at UP for good few seasons but only goes the odd time know, hopefully lower tier, he says its not as bad as some make out but still know were near UP.

Think 2 weekends before on March 17/18 we have ManU at home, should been in your neck of the woods for that game, stopping over for 3 or 4 days en route to the UK, WHO slurps perhaps?

Private Dancer
6:21 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

Syd - I think the point here is the view not whether or not there is a good atmosphere once a year. I hope you get lower tier as you don't need to go to see that sitting in the upper tier is pointless, may as well not even bother in my eyes.

Sydney_Iron
6:16 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

Well im looking forward to going next year, looks like it will be against Southampton, despite what is written on WHO i will reserve judgement until after that game.

How many were at the Bolton Game? About 350000 i think, not bad for a mid week game in the Micky mouse who gives fuck Cup!!! That would have been all but a sell out at UP, but only a little over half full in the OS, so maybe not a game to judge, Spurs at home though? Know that from what i saw last season had the place pumping.....

Private Dancer
5:07 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

You had to experience it to realise how shit it would be being that far from the pitch?.

Simply put, when at football you need to feel 'part of the action' if you're not, then it will be shit. The stadium is a disgrace.

Northern Sold
3:12 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

Fair play Chim.... you have been massively open minded and that is to be applauded... I really should give the place a go and there is hardly game at the LS in which I am offered a seat ... one of these days I might take up the offer rather than do the 2 or 3 away games a season I am penciled in for... the thing is i'm an old cunt... I'm set in my ways about our football... I dont enjoy it now nowhere near as much... it somehow means less in which in the past it meant everything and more... I'm not the only one... as Bob Dylan once sung... for the times they are a changing...

Gavros
3:10 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

This is Chims way of him saying he's better than you. Because he lives in camdenðŸ˜ ðŸ˜ ðŸ˜ ðŸ˜

Norm, don't be a cunt mate. There are a load of people who disagree with my post. This is my first post where I have ever ( God forgive) seen the point of the detractors and I won't spend the rest of my life making the same point over and over again.

I actually think the cunts upstairs will eventually quietly purchase the stadium and fuck the athletics off, move the lower tier closer and extend the hospitality and upper stands forwards. It just might be not in the near future. It may take newer, wealthier owners though as these cunts know the price of light bulbs and bog rolls but not a holding midfielder.

normannomates
1:21 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

I wonder what the replies would be if Ford sterling had posted this?But hey..it's good old Chim Chimney..Arse licking welks

neilalex
1:16 Sat Sep 23Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

It's absolute shit for watching football. I've no axe to grind and really wanted it to be good, however that is the simple truth. Anyone pretending otherwise is kidding themselves. Their view might be ok, tolerable etc. but it will still be a shit experience compared to that of a purpose built football stadium.

The separate issue of course is the bare faced lying about how it would be from the Board.

I sit in 130 but have sat in the upper tier twice, both in the academy corporate bit. Don't think I could agree with chim more.

Bom Stickle
11:37 Fri Sep 22Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

My seat in 152 is very good. Had a look at the view upper tier bobby Moore end and although the distance is far the view is pretty good.

I liked the East when I went in there for the first ever match but West Upper is absolute shit. Horrible stand. I just hope new owners who are willing to invest can find a way of joining the tiers all the way around and get the stands closer to the pitch. I live in hope.

Takashi Miike
11:19 Fri Sep 22Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

Its a good athletics stadium but will never be fit for football. have a look at atletico madrid's new stadium to see how its done properly

Jasnik
11:18 Fri Sep 22Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.

WorldCupWilly 10:09 Fri Sep 22

Thanks

normannomates
11:14 Fri Sep 22Re: I finally get why a lot of you hate London Stadium.